A Structured Walking Program or Standard Therapy in Cancer Patients Undergoing a Donor Bone Marrow Transplant

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

• Compare the effects of a structured walking regimen vs normal standard care on functional status at day 100 after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in patients with cancer.

Secondary

• Compare the effects of these regimens on patient survival at day 100 and at 1 year after transplantation.
• Compare patient satisfaction with these regimens.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized study. Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 intervention arms.

• Arm I: Beginning 2-3 days after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, patients walk on a treadmill or in the hospital hallways twice daily for ≥ 15 minutes. After discharge and continuing for up to 100 days post-transplantation, patients walk once daily for ≥ 30 minutes. Patients record their walking times daily in a journal.
• Arm II: Patients receive no special instructions regarding exercise other than the normal standard of care.

All patients complete questionnaires at discharge and at day 100 post-transplantation measuring daily exercise activities, satisfaction with the recommended walking regimen, and functional status.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 90 patients will be accrued for this study.